Let me introduce myself. I’m a 43-year-old professional artist of some fourteen years standing. I have had a home and studio here in Torrevieja, on the Costa Blanca for about six years or more. Until this last year or so I travelled between Spain and my other studio in Ireland and lived quite a nomadic lifestyle. The lure of heady days spent lolling around in the sun and sea finally brought me to my senses, and helped me make a decision to stay on a more permanent basis.
Since then, all I seem to have done is work, work, work. Far from living a more relaxed life, I now find myself in more demand for international exhibitions, providing new works for my stable of representing galleries in various countries, as well as undertaking commissions for numerous collectors, both corporate and private. I also write poetry as the mood takes me, and occasional feature articles for overseas magazines about art and the artist’s life. I also run art classes and, in the near future, hopefully painting holidays in conjunction with other professional artists living here. I am busier than ever!
I will try to make this weekly blog more about the everyday life as an expat artist in Spain, as opposed to just about me - an artist who just happens to live here - and my artworks. You can check out my own ‘blog/ latest information’ for that, via my website (www.tjmiles.com).
In short, what is the art to living in Spain for me? A reasonably stress-free life, a relatively healthy tan on the outside and, hopefully, a sunnier disposition on the inside. Coupled with the fact that, to me, Spain reminds me of the Ireland of my youth. Every day was a new adventure; cut grass in the local park became a war-zone for pitched battles with your mates. ‘Action Men’ really walked and talked, my bike was the fastest thing on the planet - once I got the stabilisers off - and the sun shone every day without fail. It really did! Every day without fail, and you won’t convince me otherwise.
Maybe I am just trying to capture some of that youth back and maybe, just maybe, help myself to live a little longer in the process? Let me know your thoughts…
